by Sachi Sri Kantha, March 27, 2015 March 2, 1815 marked the 200th anniversary of the British annexation of the Kandyan Kingdom of Ceylon. To reminisce on the significance of this imperialistic annexation by the British colonial strategists, first I provide below the observations made by a few notable historians, such as Sir James Emerson… Read more »
Monthly Archives: March 2015
How English Ruined Indian Literature
India, if it is to speak to itself, will always need a lingua franca. But English, which re-enacts the colonial relationship, placing certain Indians in a position the British once occupied, does more than that. It has created a linguistic line as unbreachable as the color line once was in the United States.
UN Panel Will Share Syria Suspects’ Names With Prosecutors
BERLIN — The head of a U.N. panel investigating human rights violations in the war in Syria said Tuesday the panel is willing to give names from its secret list of alleged war criminals to any prosecutors pursuing cases. Paulo Sergio Pinheiro told the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva that the group will “share… Read more »
International Judicial Mechanism Needed to Serve Justice for All in Sri Lanka
by ‘Tamil Guardian,’ London, March 15, 2015 Mcrae press release The United Nations Human Rights Council will have to act on the investigation into Sri Lanka’s atrocities (OISL), moving to establish an international judicial mechanism in order to ensure justice is served to all communities, said the director of the documentary, No Fire Zone, Callum… Read more »
JDS Journalist on Rights & Accountability
Abeyawardene is speaking to Callum Mcrae on what motivates him to oppose the GoSL on oppression of others. https://vimeo.com/121718885
Panel Discussion: NPC’s Resolution on Tamil Genocide in Sri Lanka
Vidéo Northern Provincial Council’s Resolution on Tamil Genocide in Sri Lanka and the International Community’s Responsibility to Protect Mardi, 17 mar 2015 – 01:30 « La Pastorale » Route de Ferney 106, Genève (Bus 5 – Direction : Aéroport – Arrêt : Intercontinental) http://2013.pressclub.ch/fr/conference/northern-provincial-councils-resolution-tamil-genocide-sri-lanka-and-international Vidéo With Dr. Maung Zarni Burmese democracy advocate, human rights campaigner,… Read more »
Sri Lanka’s Tamil Minority Grows Impatient With Just Promises
JAFFNA, Sri Lanka — There may be no place more beautiful on the breathtaking tropical island of Sri Lanka than the white sand beaches along the Palka Strait, which is why building a luxury resort here made sense. Still, there are drawbacks to staying at Thalsevana Holiday Resort. Arrive without a reservation, and you could… Read more »
Thirteenth Amendment Can Never be the Final Solution
[T]he Chief Minister recalls a quintessential continuity of the stance of moderate Tamil nationalism… — ft.lk commentary on this interview 3/14/15
Letter to PM Rajiv Gandhi from TULF on 13th Amendment
http://www.thesundayleader.lk/archive/20080217/issues.htm Our Disappointment With Proposals Contained In The Two Bills 28th Oct 1987 Shri Rajiv Gandhi, Prime Minister of India, New Delhi. Dear Prime Minister, We thank you once again for all your efforts on behalf of the Tamil people. We repeat our deep anguish at the tragic turn of events in Jaffna. We feel it is… Read more »
Can an Evil Man Change?
Unlike many other white people — perpetrators and bystanders — who have benefited since 1994 from the reconciliatory attitude of black South Africans, Mr. de Kock actually began to engage with fellow South Africans in restorative ways. Slowly, over the years, he transformed himself from a highly effective killer to somebody who genuinely engaged with those looking for answers…
The underlying goal of the T.R.C. was to build a new ethical society through change: The truth about our past should transform all of us from a people apart into a people who care for one another.
Modi Visits Tamils’ Cultural Heart in Tour of Sri Lanka
“We stand with you in your efforts to build a future that accommodates the aspiration of all sections of society, including the Sri Lankan Tamil community for a life of equality, justice and dignity in a united Sri Lanka,”
Professor Mano Sabaratnam (1931-2014)
by Sachi Sri Kantha, March 13, 2015 Only in late December 2014, while web-surfing, I received the sad message that Professor Mano Sabaratnam (1931-2014) had died in October 2014. After I left the blessed island in 1981, for obvious reasons, I never had contact with her via letters, email or phone. But, she was a… Read more »
Prabu Somanaidu MMA Fighter
‘Never back down’ is Prabu’s philosophy in life. He believes that mixed martial arts is about consistency, hard work, and discipline. Prabu’s ultimate dreams are to be amongst the top 10 UFC champions in the world and to become one of the top MMA coaches in Malaysia. His aspiration is to make his country proud,… Read more »
Hope for Colombia’s Peace Process
Still, an agreement is the best alternative to ending the fighting, which has ebbed as the talks have progressed, and giving Colombians in war-torn districts hope for a brighter future. The Obama administration recently signaled its strong support for the process by naming Bernard Aronson, a former senior diplomat with expertise in the region, as an envoy to the peace process.
Sri Lanka Grants Bail to Tamil Rights Activist
“But the true test will be whether her release marks the beginning of a broader reversal in a pattern of harassment by the security forces against families of the disappeared and other Tamil activists” …
Crimes Against Humanity in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province
Sri Lanka Campaign – crimes-against-humanity-in-sri-lanka-s-northern-province EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Report is the first of its kind to map the facts of well-documented, post-war human rights violations in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province to the legal elements of crimes against humanity. Amidst growing calls that the UNHRC mandate an international investigation at its March 2014 Session, the Sri… Read more »
Devolution in the Northern Province
by Centre for Policy Alternatives, Colombo, March 10, 2015 The first elections of the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) held in September 2013 provided an important opportunity to test the utility of the Thirteenth Amendment in devolving power. Until then, the Northern Province was essentially under Central administration (through the Governor) for the larger part of… Read more »
Sri Lanka Must Seize This Window of Opportunity
by David Cameron, ‘Tamil Guardian,’ London, March 10, 2015 Writing in the Tamil Guardian today, British Prime Minister David Cameron reiterated his commitment to ensuring those responsible for war crimes in Sri Lanka are held accountable and said he would press the country’s new president, Maithripala Sirisena, to deliver on his commitments, during a bilateral… Read more »
The Terrible War for Sri Lanka
No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka a film by Callum Macrae Noontide Toll by Romesh Gunesekera New Press, 237 pp., $24.95 The Seasons of Trouble: Life Amid the Ruins of Sri Lanka’s Civil War by Rohini Mohan Verso, 353 pp., $26.95 This Divided Island: Stories from the Sri Lankan War by Samanth… Read more »
This Divided Island
by William Darymple, ‘The Guardian,’ UK, March 9, 2015 Samanth Subramanian’s forensic account of the 26-year Sri Lankan war is a remarkable book by one of India’s most talented writers of non-fiction As a young foreign correspondent posted to South Asia in the late 1980s, I spent a lot of time in the Sri Lankan… Read more »